Differences Aside For Christmas
by Ms. Moonstar
Summary: Javert's encounter on Rue Plumet on Christmas Eve. Please ReadReview! COMPLETED STORY!


Differences Aside for Christmas  
  
By Ms. Neptune Holmes  
  
A/N: Hi everyone. I thought I'd post this for Christmas. Happy reading! Merry Christmas!  
  
Disclaimer: Javert and the characters belong to Victor Hugo. *SAD FACE* Ce la vie.  
  
It was a cold, snowy, Christmas Eve as Inspector Javert walked down the desolate streets of Paris. Everyone seemed to be home with their families. But Javert had no family to celebrate this joyous time of the year.  
  
The police officer crossed the Rue Montparnasse and saw an old beggar sitting on the snowy pavement with his palm up.  
  
"Spare a sou, monsieur?" he said softly.  
  
Javert looked at him with disgust "No! Be gone, before I arrest you!" The man gave him a momentary glance before dashing off. It was slightly after sunset when the Inspector made his way down the Rue Plumet. He stopped suddenly when he heard low voices, and reconized the Thenardier gang at a small, but elaborate house in the distance.  
  
"He's here all right! The old man won't know what hit him!" said Thenardier.  
  
"Merry Christmas you old goose, you're being robbed." said Bigrenaille.  
  
Meanwhile, the police officer crept closer to the group, cocking his gun and waiting to attack. When Thenardier began to reach for the window, Javert decided it was the right moment to make his move. He jumped away from the wall and faced the gang.  
  
"Inspector Javert of the Paris Police. Put down your weapons and your hands up!"  
  
"We'll never give up to you, 'spector! " exlcaimed Babet. Claquesous pulled a gun from his weapon and fired towards Javert.  
  
The bullet missed its intended target of Javert's heart after Thenadier tried to run. It caused the bullet to nick his side, and sent the Inspector sprawling. Montparnasse was about to finish the fallen man, when they heard a very sharp and loud shrill coming from the garden.  
  
"Someone's seen us! Quick, let's get out of 'ere!" yelped the cowardly Brujon. They fled down the alleyway, leaving the policeman alone in the garden. He saw from the light of a window a shadow moving towards him. As the silhouette came closer, Javert realised that it was a young girl, short and petite, kneeling beside him.  
  
"Monsieur, are you all right?" she said in a quiet, small voice. She touched his wounded side, causing him to wince and give a small cry of pain.  
  
"Oh dear, you're wounded! we must get you inside and bandage that right away. Come with me, Monsieur." She led him into the little house and into the sitting room, then she called her father.  
  
"Papa, please come quickly! I found a man in the garden who scared off some bad men." She called. Her 'Papa' entered a few moments later, and recognized the police inspector immediately. Javert too, knew the face of Jean Valjean.  
  
Valjean stood in front of the policeman, and in his calmest tone asked, "Are you hurt, M. l'Inspector?"  
  
Javert smiled ruefully. "It's only a scratch. If you will excuse me, I shall leave you to celebrate the holiday with your daughter." He stood and went to leave only to be stopped by Jean Valjean.  
  
"Monsieur, you will stay with us, I will get a doctor to look at your injury." Javert began to prostest, but Valjean stopped him with a wave of his hand.  
  
"Please, I insist." he said. Javert, feeling he had lost the battle, sat on the sofa again. Valjean went to make some tea, while his servant went to fetch a doctor, and the child was sent to bed. When the officer was alone, he looked around his surrondings. The room was festivly decorated for the season, with candles all around the room. Red and green holly and a small pair of shoes lay on the hearth next to the crackling fire, which he knew were the little girl's. Then it dawned on him, the little girl was the wretch's daughter, Cosette! So Valjean had adopted the child, as he promised the woman in her death. Just then, Jean Valjean entered the room with the tea on a tray. He set it on a small table in front of the couch. Some time passed, and they had not uttered a word to one another. Finally, Javert spoke up.  
  
"So Valjean, I found you after all this time. There's no escaping this time. You'll go back to prison for your crimes. The broken parole and--"  
  
"Monsieur, I do not care if you take me in." The white-haired man interrupted, "but, I beg of you to let me spend Christmas with my daughter, then you can take me."  
  
Javert murmured, "We shall see."  
  
The doctor arrived soon after, and immediately saw to the police officer, while Valjean had his hand servant prepare thre bed in the extra room of the house. The doctor who was a robust man with greying brown hair and brown eyes set the black bag on a small table and addressed his patient.  
  
"M. Javert, I must ask you to remove your coat and your shirt." The doctor said Grudgingly, the silver haired officer complied.  
  
It was only when his stomach was exposed that Valjean and the doctor realised the seriousness of the wound. Blood streaked down from the injury, showing the cut was much deeper than they believed. The doctor cleaned the cut with alcohol and dressed it. When the doctor finshed, he addressed the police officer.  
  
"Now Monsieur, you must keep yourself in bed for at least this evening. Try not to move much and have your dressings checked every day." Then he turned to leave, Valjean following him to the door.  
  
"Thank you, monsieur, good evening."  
  
"You're very welcome, call me if a fever or infection develops. Good night."  
  
When the doctor had left, Valjean approached the police officer carefully.  
  
"You must be tired, inspector. Come, I've had the bed in the extra room prepared for you. You may rest there, and if you wish, you may leave tommorrow." Javert nodded and mumbled, "Thank you."  
  
Valjean saw Javert to his room, then before the door shut. Jean said "Goodnight monsieur."  
  
The next morning, Javert woke to a child's happy cry from downstairs.With much effort, he went downstairs to the sitting room and saw little Cosette and Jean Valjean sitting on the sofa, the girl holding something in her hand. As he approched them, Javert noticed that the object that the girl held was a small coin, a twenty franc piece. Valjean looked up from his daughter to see the policeman standing in front of them.  
  
"Good morning monsieur, Merry Christmas. I trust you slept well?" Javert nodded and Valjean continued. "Did you see what the good fairy left for my little angel? Cosette opened her hand and showed him a gold louis.  
  
"I also have found something that was left for you, M. l'Inspector." he pointed to the mantle above the fireplace. Javert walked to the fireplace and found a gold watch on the smooth surface. Picking it up he noticed a inscription engraved on the back. It read "To IJ X-MS C&JVJ 1830" For the first time in many years, Javet felf as though he belonged, as though he was part of this family. He choked back tears as he looked at the inscription again. Inspector Javert smiled and whispered, "Thank you so much monsieur" At that moment, he seemed happy and felt no resentment towards Jean Valjean. A sudden thought shook him from the moment. He smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, but I must be going. I am supposed to begin my shift. Merry Christmas."  
  
As he began to leave, Valjean followed.The white haired man gave a look of confusion. "You don't mean to leave us, M, L' Inspector?" Are you sure you cannot stay for breakfast?"  
  
The police officer shook his head "I'm sorry, I can't. I must get back to my duty, monsieur. I will be careful, I promise. And I shall call on a doctor if I have any problems. I will never forget this day as long as I live. Thanks to you Monsieur."  
  
Jean Valjean nodded. "Very well, as long as you are careful. Goodbye." He smiled at him, then to Cosette. "Merry Christmas, my child. May you have many happy Christmases in the future."  
  
"Keep up the good work, Monsieur Inspector, I hope to see you in the future."  
  
"I'm sure you will. God bless you, M. Fauchelevent, and your daughter." He said his final good-byes, then stepped into the frozen world that blanketed France, and began his usual beat. He made his way to the Rue Montparnasse, and saw the old man sitting on the walkway with his palm up. The beggar gasped when he saw the police inspector, and quickly got up. "I'm sorry, Monsieur, I'll go now." The street man went to leave, but Javert stopped him. "Monsieur, you will not spend one more hour on the streets!"  
  
"Are you going to arrest me, Inspector Javert?" the old man asked softly. Javert shook his head no, smiled, then pulled out two 100 franc pieces. "No, I want you to find a place to stay and eat, get some new clothes, and try to suitable job." Then he handed the coin to the beggar. The old man turned the piece in his hand, looked at the inspector and smiled.  
  
"Thank you so much, monsieur Inspector!" Then the old man scurried off in joy. Javert watched the old man go, then smiled to himself. This was truly the best Christmas of his life, and he really would not forget what the events of the day had done to his soul, and maybe, just maybe, he would change for good, just as Valjean had. Perhaps the chance of redemption had been offered to him, and maybe this time, he would set things right and would have a chance to rise to Paradise. And with that, He smiled, and continued down the alleyway, his heart full of love and mercy for the first time in his life. Yes, he was truly a changed man. Walking of into the morning sun, Javert headed to his new future, and hopefully, the future would be better than the past. 


End file.
